18 Year Old FPJ in 1957 Fernando Poe Jr., known to millions as “The King” or simply FPJ, was born on 20 August 1939, the son of Spanish mestizo Fernando “Nanding” Poe Sr.—an esteemed actor and director of San Carlos, Pangasinan—and Fil-American Elizabeth “Bessie” Gatbonton Kelley. Bessie was the daughter of Engr. Arthur Kelley of Iowa and Martha Gatbonton, a Kapampangan from Candaba, Pampanga. Ronald Allan Poe was the second of six children: Elizabeth, Andy (who, in real life was named Fernando